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Tirggel

Hard, crisp honey cookies stamped with intricate Zurich scenes — the city’s medieval Christmas biscuit.

⏱ 30 minPrep time
🔥 15 minCook time
🍽 24Servings
🏷 DessertCategory
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Tirggel, biscuits au miel durs estampés de motifs zurichois

Tirggel are the ancient, rock-hard honey biscuits of Zurich, rolled thin and stamped with intricate pictures before baking to a glassy, snappy crunch. They taste of honey, anise, and a very old kind of sweetness.

Traditionally made for Christmas, they are often embossed with scenes and figures, which makes them as fun to look at as to eat. Let them soften slightly on the tongue—or dunk them in tea.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Warm the honey, sugar, and water in a saucepan, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Cool to lukewarm.
  2. Combine the flour, spices, lemon zest, and salt in a bowl. Pour in the honey mixture and stir into a stiff, smooth dough. Cover and rest at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  3. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Roll the dough very thin—about 1/8 inch—on a lightly floured surface.
  4. Cut into rectangles or stamp with decorative molds, and prick with a fork in a pattern if you like.
  5. Bake 12–15 minutes until firm and lightly golden; they harden as they cool. Store in an airtight tin.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Tirggel are meant to be hard and snappy—bake until firm, and they will keep for months in a tin. Resting the dough makes it far easier to roll thin.

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Recipe details

Prep30 min
Cook15 min
Servings24
CategoryDessert
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →